


be as you've always been

by asamisaht0



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F, No War AU, Yuetara Week 2020, where i take canon and crush it under my big feet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:07:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27426190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asamisaht0/pseuds/asamisaht0
Summary: No war AU. Katara and Yue see each other twice a year, as the Northern and Southern Water Tribes meet to discuss trades. They grow up together, face challenges together, and somehow, always come back to each other.
Relationships: Katara/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	be as you've always been

**Author's Note:**

> _be still, my foolish heart_  
>  don't ruin this on me   
> 

Katara stood at the bow of their boat, watching the icy landscape grow closer. She watched as the ship expertly steered around the jagged icebergs that protected the Northern Water Tribe. She was immediately struck by how different their sister tribe was to her own. Where there was warm, yellow light in the South, there was cool, blue light from the afternoon sky. 

Where there should have been cozy homes and large, soft piles of snow, there were instead gigantic, intimidating ice walls. Katara couldn’t even see past them to get a glimpse of how life was in the North. She crossed her arms, hugging herself in an attempt to stave off the homesickness that threatened to creep up inside her. 

“I still don’t see why I had to come this year.” she muttered, mostly to herself. A deep voice chuckled from behind her. She felt Hakoda’s comforting hand on her shoulder before he came into view, standing beside her.

“It’s important for you to become familiar with our sister tribe. Our relationship needs to remain strong, so the other nations won’t try to divide us over trade agreements.”

Katara had heard variations of that sentence for the past month. It still didn’t change the fact that she’d rather be snuggled up with her mother under a pile of furs right now. Still, she leaned into her father’s embrace and allowed his fur coat to lend her some warmth. 

She craned her head up as the walls grew closer, and despite her discomfort she couldn’t help but stare in awe of the structure. It was taller than anything she’d ever seen before, the tops of the watchtowers seemed to reach the clouds. 

Suddenly, the seemingly impenetrable wall shuddered, then a perfect circle opened up to let the ships pass. Katara’s mouth dropped as they passed through the ice tunnel into a pool surrounded by a large square of ice. She watched in wonder as a team of tiny, tiny waterbenders moved their boat further into the city.

She broke into a grin at the sheer display of bending. Katara had never seen so many waterbenders in one place. At the Southern tribe, she was the only one of her kind, and she had nobody to practice or learn from. Here, it wouldn’t surprise her if everyone was a waterbender.

Katara felt, rather than heard Hakoda chuckle at her reaction. 

“Aren’t you glad you came this year?”

For the sake of being stubborn, Katara faked an eye roll.  
“I still think it’ll be boring just sitting around with Sokka while you’re in meetings with a bunch of old people.”

“You’ll be happy to learn that Chief Arnook has a daughter around your age. Maybe you three can entertain each other during the summit,” Hakoda said with a smile.  
Katara hummed a vague agreement.  
“We’ll see.”

As if on cue, Sokka came bounding up to them just then.

“Did you see the size of those watchtowers??” he all but shouted. “You could probably see the earth kingdom from the top! Man, I’ve gotta figure out how to get up there!” 

Hakoda barked a deep, belly laugh at that. “I’ll see what I can find out for you. Look, there they are!” 

Katara turned to see that they were pulling up quickly to the palace, a grand, elegant building made entirely out of ice. It must have taken even master waterbenders ages to build, Katara thought. Every curve, corner, and point was masterfully carved. It was beautiful.

And yet, Katara still somehow felt cold. 

She didn’t understand herself. The Northern Water Tribe was stunning, to say the least. As they rode through the city, under arches and past countless ice houses and statues, Katara knew she should have felt something more. She had been hearing for weeks on their trip about how lovely the city is.

But now, standing in front of the palace, all she felt was cold.

As the family of the Chief, Katara and Sokka were required to unboard first and greet Chief Arnook. Katara fell back slightly, grabbing Sokka’s jacket sleeve.

He turned in confusion. 

“What’s up?” he whispered.

“What if they don’t like me?” she whispered back, surprised she let it slip in the first place.

Sokka’s face softened, and he squeezed her hand. “That’s impossible. Come on,” he said, leading her off the boat.

Chief Arnook stood tall and proud, his face unreadable. Next to him was another man, older, with white hair. His face was stern, but calm. Katara frowned.

“I thought he had a daughter-” 

Arnook shifted to the right, and Katara blinked.

Behind him was a girl with hair as white as the snow that dusted the ground on the South Pole. A polite, possibly a little forced, smile graced her face.

Katara felt herself smile back. 

Sokka, next to her, went stiff. Katara couldn’t risk a glance, but she just sent a brief prayer to Tui and La that he wasn’t he wasn’t drooling.

“Brothers and sister, welcome! We’re so glad to see you here safely.” Chief Arnook’s voice boomed with the same calm confidence that she was used to hearing from her father.

Arnook gestured to the girl. “Please meet my daughter, Yue.” Yue offered a small wave.

Katara waved back. Sokka didn’t move. 

Hakoda and Arnook embraced, shook forearms, and the formalities dissolved into a quiet exchange of pleasantries. The two chiefs and the old man turned to walk back into the palace, leaving Sokka and Katara behind with Yue. 

The white haired girl watched them both with curious eyes.

“I’m really sorry, but my dad failed to mention your names?” she asked politely.

Katara heard, rather than saw Sokka draw himself up as tall as he could.

“I’m Katara, and this is my sister Sokk- wait” he started.

Yue chuckled then, bringing a mitten up to cover her mouth.

Her laugh made Katara feel at home.

She took over for Sokka, who was now stuttering. 

“I’m Katara, and this is my brother Sokka. It’s so nice to meet you!” 

Yue smiled. Katara wondered if the girl knew how pretty her smile was.

“It’s nice to meet you both too. Come on, I’ll show you to your rooms so you can relax before the feast.” 

Minutes later, Sokka was flopped at the foot of Katara’s bed, hand over his face.

“I told her I was you! How on earth did I mess up that bad!!” he groaned, not for the first time. 

Katara chuckled. 

“It’s perfectly normal to get tongue tied by a pretty girl, Sokka.”

“So you agree! She’s gorgeous, right?” 

Katara answered without thinking. “She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

Sokka stopped, removed a hand from his face.

“I….uh,” he seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “Yeah. Uh huh. So anyways,” he mentioned, rolling over so he could dangle his feet off her bed, “what did you think of that Kyoshi girl we met on the stop over?”

“Oh, Zuki, right? The leader?” Katara wondered what prompted this quick change in topic, but sometimes Sokka’s brain worked a little faster than his mouth, so she went with it.

“Suki. With an s. But yeah, her.”

“I think she’s really cool. You two spent a lot of time together, right?” She couldn’t help the teasing lilt that snuck into her tone.

“Not like that! I just think their fighting style is cool. Anyways, I’m gonna go get ready for the feast.” Sokka was out of her room before he finished his sentence.

Katara raised a brow, and continued getting ready.

-  
The feast started at nightfall, and Katara had never seen so much blue in her life.

The ice decorations were stunning, even more so than they were when they arrived. Katara thought she had gotten used to the ice sculptures, but the benders found new ways to surprise her at every turn. She was, admittedly, gawking at the decor when Hakoda and Sokka moved to take their seats at the table. 

The table was seated low to the ground, and stretched out the entirety of the dais they were currently on.

To Katara’s left sat Sokka, then Hakoda, then Bato. To her right sat Yue. Across from them, Arnook and his wife sat, and the stern old man from older. 

The food was brought out instantly. Katara grinned as she recognized the sea prunes that were placed on a dish in front of her, and dug in without question. She appreciated Sokka returning her energy with vigor.  
Katara frowned slightly.

The food was good, of course it was, but it wasn’t as good as the food back home. Katara winced as another, albeit much smaller, wave of homesickness threatened to wash over her. 

Katara risked a glance over at Yue. The girl seemed so quiet, and yet there was an energy about her that Katara couldn't place. She had almost worked up the nerve to talk when Arnook stood and spread his arms.

"Tonight, we celebrate the safe arrival of our brothers and sisters from the Southern Water Tribe. We thank the spirits for your safe journey. In their honor, Master Pakku and his students have prepared a demonstration!"

At his words, the white-haired man to his left stood and made his way to the center of the room with six other men. The older man, Katara realized, must be Pakku. 

Katara watched in awe as they broke into set of waterbending forms that she had never seen before. They pulled water from the large pots Katara hadn’t noticed before lining the room and bent it into amazing shape. Pakku put his palms together and made the water shoot towards the ceiling, only to freeze and shower back on them in tiny crystals. The benders all moved together to form a giant ball of ice that hung suspended in the air above them. 

Katara was honestly, truly stunned. She had never seen waterbending like this. She felt herself falling even more in love with her element. She had to ask Pakku to train her.

“It’s amazing,” she heard herself whisper. 

Yue, somehow, heard her. “I know. I wish I had a gift like that.”

Katara frowned. “You’re not a bender?” 

Yue shook her head. “Nobody in my family is. Are you?”

“Yes, but I’m not very good yet. We don’t have many benders down south. I’m hoping I can learn from Pakku while I’m here.”

Yue’s face fell. “Oh Katara, I’m so sorry,” she started. 

Katara frowned. “Why? Am I too young?”

“Pakku only trains boys. Girls up here learn how to heal instead.”

“What?” Katara felt her voice raise, saw Hakoda’s questioning glance in her peripheral. She didn’t care.

“What do you mean? That doesn’t make sense!”

“I know. But that’s how it’s always been. I’m really sorry, Katara. I can see how much this means to you.”

“That’s just not fair!” Katara was too upset to remain at the table. She stood abruptly, making up some story about an upset stomach to Sokka and her dad. 

Katara was back at her room in minutes. She threw herself on the bed, fighting back tears of frustration. Every single bad feeling she had about the Northern Water Tribe rushed back in. Katara couldn’t believe it! How could a society still be so sexist!

She was reminded of their stop for supplies on that Earth Kingdom island, the one with all the girl warriors. The ones Sokka had taken a liking to, even if he didn’t admit it.

Katara tossed and turned, trying to make sense of it. Maybe she could convince Pakku to take her on anyways. She had been practicing her forms on the trip, she wasn’t a complete beginner! She wouldn’t even get in the way. Katara bet she could hold her own against any of his students her age. 

Above all, Katara couldn’t wait to leave this place.

-  
Katara was awoken from a fitful sleep by a soft knock. She thought she had imagined it, until it came again, slightly stronger this time. Katara opened the door to see Yue standing on the other side, wide-eyed and wearing a dark blue cloak. She carried another one in her arms.

“Can I show you something?” was all the girl said.

Katara was, to be honest, a little startled. 

“Uh, sure?”

Yue shoved the cloak into Katara’s hands. “Wear this. It’s cold, and it’ll help us get out.”

Confused didn’t even cut it. Katara wordlessly donned the cloak, and accepted Yue’s outstretched hand as a guide. Her now signature mittens fit perfectly into Katara’s gloved hand. 

Yue led Katara through a route in the palace that Katara didn’t know existed. They made their way through barely-lit hallways and past giant doors. They finally exited the palace, through some side entrance that must have been for workers. Katara was even more confused as she and Yue made their way through the Northern city. The sky was cloudy, but there was just enough light for her to see the other girl’s silhouette as they traveled.  
Katara noticed early on that they were going uphill. She wondered how long Yue intended them to be out for. 

“Yue, I don’t know, maybe we should get to sleep-”

“I really want you to see this. Come on, only a little bit more!”

Yue’s mittened hand grabbed hers, and they continued to climb. They went behind buildings, under the arches, and through alleys that only Yue could know of, still cloaked in the darkness. Katara knew for sure she would be lost without her guide. 

As they reached the top of the hill, Katara realized she could actually see the rich navy fabric that made up the top layer of Yue’s furs. She craned her head up and saw the clouds finally parting away, as if on cue, bathing both of them in the light of the full moon. The full moon! Katara had been so upset at Pakku that she forgot all about it. She felt herself tearing up again.

“Katara,” Yue’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. Yue’s eyes were so wide, so sincere. Katara had lived around blue eyes her whole life, and now she was wondering how they could possibly look like that.

“Why did you bring me here?”

Yue smiled. She pointed over Katara’s shoulder.

“Look.”

Katara turned, and gasped.

The moonlight reflected off the icy city, bathing it in its glow. It turned what had once seemed cold and impenetrable into the most precious gemstones. The way the ice glittered in the full moon was almost surreal, like something out of the Spirit World. Katara couldn’t help but break into a grin, loving how the ice reflected off itself and the still water that surrounded it.

The city, under the moonlight, was the second prettiest thing Katara had ever seen. Yue took her hand, seemingly reading her thoughts. 

“This is my home. I wanted you to see it the way I see it.” Yue commented softly.

“It’s….” Katara searched for the right word. “It’s beautiful,”

Yue’s eyes were so bright, so trusting and earnest. “I know.”

Yue kissed her before she could respond. Katara’s eyes widened, startled, and all of a sudden it was over.

Yue stepped back quickly. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. We should get back.” 

Katara wanted to wait, wanted to ask her a million questions. Maybe she wanted to kiss her again. But Yue was right, they needed to be back before anyone noticed they were missing.

The journey back to the Northern palace was silent, and seemed to stretch out longer than their journey up the hill. There were times when Yue had to lead Katara by holding her hand, and to Katara, these moments were the ones that passed too quickly.  
They were back at the palace way too soon.

Katara expected Yue to split as soon as they made it inside, but the other girl walked her all the way to Katara’s room. When they made it, Yue sighed, and there was something else in that breath. Was she sad? Embarrassed? Irritated? Katara couldn’t tell. 

“I’ll see you next year, Katara.”

“You too.” was all Katara could say.

They parted ways. Katara made her way inside and all but collapsed on the bed- she had walked quite a distance without realizing it. She lay there, tried to wrap her head around how her night unfolded. Sleep crept up on her, as quiet as a polar leopard.

-  
They left three days later.

Katara stood at the bow again next to Sokka, waving at the Northern family and council who came to see them off. She tried to catch Yue’s eyes, but the girl who had spent the past three days avoiding her was now looking at a fixed point above their boat. Katara frowned.

The Northern waterbenders, including Pakku, helped their boat push off from the shore, so it wasn’t long before the palace, and Yue, shrunk to specks in the distance. Hakoda glanced at her. 

“So are we going to talk about what happened at dinner? I know it wasn’t the sea prunes, because Sokka inhaled the rest of yours and he’s completely fine.”

Katara remembered how indignant she had felt that night. How a small sentence completely ruined her night, made her sea prunes taste bitter.

“No. Not yet.” She turned to leave. 

Sokka took her spot next to their dad, and she overheard him asking about their route.

“Do you think we’re gonna take the exact same route home?” he asked, feigning nonchalance.  
Katara knew better, and smirked.

“Um, I think so, as long as the wind isn’t too crazy.”

“So we’ll have to stop for supplies at the same spot, right?”

“Yeah, Oshinama Island, I think?”

“Kyoshi,” Sokka corrected quickly.

“Yeah, that. I’m pretty sure we’re stopping there again. Why?”

“No reason,” Sokka said, escaping before Hakoda could prod.

Katara chuckled to herself. She made her way to a quiet part of the deck, electing to practice her waterbending forms. The next time she saw Pakku, she’d be ready for him.

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be a yuetara week one-shot that kinda grew. shout out to aino, the queen of yuetara herself <3 i hope you guys enjoy this story!


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